Every Assumption Takes Us Away From Reality

A girl had two apples in her hand. Her mother came to her and asked her daughter if she could give her an apple.

Quickly the girl bit one and then the other. Her mother felt her smile froze and tried not to show her disappointment. After that moment, she gave her one of those apples while saying: “Here, Mom, this is the sweeter of the two.”

This short story illustrates the consequences of assuming without having any basis for doing so. We can go so far as to judge a girl who, in her innocence and good will, was driving her intentions in the most touching way there is.

Often what we see is not reality. In fact, our experience or our knowledge really matters little. We should not make judgmentsand we always have to give the other person the opportunity to give an explanation.

The danger of hasty conclusions

Prejudging situations and people’s behavior carries great risk of disappointment. The truth is that he who expects gets disappointed. It’s impossible to escape our expectations; but we should learn to manage them.

Sometimes our feelings prevent us from seeing the lack of evidence that is blinding our judgment. When this happens we must take some time to regain perspective. We must drink from different sources of information, which will help us appreciate more fairly what is happening.

The value of apologies

Sometimes we are too proud when we are wrong and unfair to others. Usually it is difficult for us to recognize that we’ve been wrong and, furthermore, that our error was caused by our erroneous perceptions.

This can lead to damaged relationships. So, if for example the mother from our story had gotten angry and scolded her daughter, one of the expected reactions of the girl could have been to not give any apples to her mother.

The most serious direct consequence of misjudging others is that it can prevent us from realizing our mistakes and from apologizing.

When this happens we often fall into the trap of resentment. How many times have we not apologized when we should have? And in turn, how many times have waited for an explanation or a word of apology from someone who hurt us with their prejudices?

Certainly various situations come to mind. In fact, we have probably lost too much at the expense of our assumptions and those of others. Thus the triumph of our pride stands as a big loss for us.

Every single person has experienced failure at some point in their lives. Feeling defeated isn’t something that can be avoided. In this sense, although feeling like a failure can be quite intense and painful, it can lead to personal development. Failure…

Should I do it or not? Should I go, or shouldn’t I? Surely these questions have come up in your thinking before, provoking a series of doubts that can be difficult to dodge. Making you feel like you’re stuck between the…

Interoception is the ability to recognize the stimuli and sensations that our body sends us. It’s the art of experiencing and understanding this beautiful physical collection of connections. Within it, there are receptors, cells, and delicate tissues that are all…

There’s not just one way to treat depression. Every person has their own black holes and hidden strengths. There are many different strategies that can be used to awaken those strengths and calm the desperation, the sleepless nights, the fear,…

Witnessing acts of kindness has a great influence on people. Completely altruistic and selfless actions awaken feelings of peace and tranquility in those who see them, feelings that remain engraved in their minds and endure due to their sudden and…

Sooner or later we will all get older. As much as you dread your birthday or worry about your first wrinkles, time keeps moving forward. Eventually, we all make it to old age. Even though you can’t choose whether or not…

As much as you’d like to get along with your significant other 100% of the time, sooner or later there’ll be conflict in your relationship. It’s inevitable, not to mention healthy. Conflict is an opportunity for analysis and decision-making. Some…

Many experts define an emotion as a subjective state that has an overwhelming or intense affective load. While it’s difficult to explicitly describe emotions, everyone can describe these subjective states in a clear way. For example, you can describe a…

Meditation has become quite popular. As people learn about the benefits of daily meditation, they’re becoming more interested in incorporating meditation into their daily lives. Today, we’ll share some meditation techniques for beginners that’ll help get you started on your…

Sleep apnea in women is underdiagnosed. In fact, when people think of sleep apnea, they usually think of a middle-aged or elderly man snoring. This stereotypical image only tells a small part of the story. First of all, young people…

The content in this publication is presented for informative purposes only. In no sense is this information intended to provide diagnoses or act as a substitute for the work of a qualified professional. For this we recommend that you contact a reliable specialist.

The content in this publication is presented for informative purposes only. In no sense is this information intended to provide diagnoses or act as a substitute for the work of a qualified professional. For this we recommend that you contact a reliable specialist.